Rubber veneer



To make. the rubber thin shec'tsl thoroughly 7 mix and incorporate in a mass rubber and THOMAS JMAYALL, or READING, MASSACHUSETTS.

1 RUBBER VENEER.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 247,835, dated October 4, 1881,

To all whom it may concern: f Be it known that I, THOMAS J. MAvALL, of

- Reading, in the county of Middlesex and Com monwealthof Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rubber Veneers, of which tlie.following is a specification. I Herctofore veneer has been made of wood,

sawed or cut into thin sheets from thetinest Theobjcct of my invention is to provide a substitute for the veneer now used, which shall be equhlly ornamental and beautiful, and which will be far more durable and economical.

My invention relates, mainly, to the materials of which the veneer is made and the mannerofmakingit; and it consists in making thin sheets of hard rubber, colored in imitation of rose-wood, mahogany, black-\valnut, and other woods used for veneer and furniture and cabinet-work, and of so disposing the colors as to copy almostex'actly the appearance of the grain of such woods in curls, knots, hurls, branches,

either of the sulphides (or'sulphuret's) of antimony in equal orabout equal parts, by weight, and I give the desired colors to the mass by. using such of the colored sulphides or sulphurets of antimony as will produce the color or combination of colors desired in the veneer. I run this compound mass out into thin sheets, and when desirable to do so'back the sheets witlrmuslin; stockinet, cotton fiber, paper, or any'iother suitable fabric. or material; or l use the sheet rubber and sulphide (or sulphuret) ot' antimony compound without any backing, and in either case cure the compound by heat to the degree of hardness required for the veneer, in substantially the same manner that ordinary hard rubber is cured.

To give the outer surface of the veneer a j smooth polished surfacel cover it with tinil or other metal or'substanceor tike SIl'lUUhLl sur- Application filed May I, 1881. (No specimens.)

face, carefully laid onto the surface of the veneer so as to be in contact with every part of it, and put it under some pressure while it isiso in the process of curing. When it is cured the tin-foil is removed and the surface'under it is found to be perfectly smooth, having a better finish than can possibly be given to wood veneer.

This vcneeris hard enough to resist injury from such, blows or concussions asfurniture or cabinet-work is likely to receive in common use, and it is completely impervious to water and all other fluids, even the strongest acids will. not affect it, and any andall foreign sub stance can be washed 01f it as readily as from a piece of porcelain, leaving no trace or injury.

V l alfix this veneer t0 the wood of furniture and cabinet-work by the use of glue'in pre- 6 cisel'y the same manner that wood veneer is affixed.

To cure the. rubber and sulphide'(or sulphuret) of antimony compound I prefer to expose it to the action ofi heat at about 275 to 320 Fahrenheit for a period which may vary, according to circumstances, from about three hours to six hours. A

Other proportions of rubber and sulphide (or sulphuret) ot' antimony may be used and cured in the manner described 5 but the proportions mentioned above produce the finest finished and most durable veneer.

I claim as new and my invention-.

"1. As a new article of manufacture, veneer made of a compound of rubber and sulphide I (or sulphuret) of antimony, colored and cured" to. the proper hardness by heat, substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, veneer made of a compound of rubber and sulphide (or sulphuret) of-antimony run into sheets and backedwith cloth, stockinet, paper, or other fibrous fabric, and cured to the proper harduess by heat, substantially as described.

. THOS. J. MAYALL.

Witnesses: i p

011s. HOUGHTON,

H. KENNEY, Jr. 

